Part 2: Why Babies and Children are Most Vulnerable to GMO
Are we experimenting with our babies and GMO? The more we learn, the more SafBaby thinks the answer, sadly, is yes.
You will find yourself amazed at where GMO hides. And after reading this article, you will understand why our babies and children are developing allergies, a resistance to antibiotics, and what is negatively influencing their sexual development! You’ll never shop the same after reading this article!
Genetically Modified Organisms (GMO) are a threat to our babies health and future. In Part 1 (The Truth About GMO) of this 2 part article, we gave an overview of what GMOs are, and why it is here. If you happened to miss Part 1, we suggest you read that first.
This continuation is more specifically about babies and children, and gives parents safe alternative measures to take. We encourage the appropriate action needed by parents to keep GMOs out of our foods, and this article will also answer any final questions you may have had.
Jeffrey Smith, a leading spokesperson on the health dangers of Genetically Modified Organisms (GMOs) and author of Genetic Roulette: The Documented Health Risks of Genetically Engineered Foods, continues our interview about why babies and children are most vulnerable to GMOs.
Children Are More Susceptible To Allergies
Children are three to four times more prone to allergies than adults and are at highest risk of death from a food allergy. Infants below two years old have the highest incidence of reactions, especially to new allergens encountered in the diet. Even tiny amounts of allergens can sometimes cause reactions.
One reason for this sensitivity, according to the EPA, is that an immature gut or permeable mucosal epithelium is more likely to allow a higher degree of macromolecular transport and access to the immune system than the intact barrier of a normal mature gut. The immune system must also be of sufficient maturity. Both systems appear to be functioning optimally by age three to five.
“Children consume a large amount of products that may be genetically engineered. They eat a higher percentage of corn in their diet compared to adults, and allergic children often rely on corn as a source of protein.”
According to the Royal Society of Canada, “The potentially widespread use of GM food products as food additives and staple foods, including use in baby foods, may lead to earlier introduction of these novel proteins to susceptible infants either directly or via the presence of the maternally ingested proteins in breast milk.”
The UK Royal Society suggested that “post-marketing surveillance should be part of the overall safety strategy for allergies, especially of high-risk groups such as infants,” but acknowledged that it is not clear “whether such monitoring is feasible for GM food.”
“The FDA does not require any safety evaluations for GMOs. Instead, biotech companies, who have been found guilty of hiding toxic effects of their chemical products, are now in charge of determining whether their GM foods are safe.”
Children can react to much smaller doses of toxins than adults. Exposure to hormones or endocrine disruptors may also severely affect normal development. And children who are prone to infections may be severely impacted if antibiotics lose their effectiveness due to antibiotic-resistant genes in GM food and the overuse of antibiotics in rbGH treated cows.
Children Have A High Exposure To GMOs
Children consume a large amount of products that may be genetically engineered. They eat a higher percentage of corn in their diet compared to adults, and allergic children often rely on corn as a source of protein.
“FDA scientists warned that GMOs can create unpredictable, hard-to-detect side effects, including allergies, toxins, new diseases, and nutritional problems. They urged long term safety studies, but were ignored.”
Mothers using cornstarch as a talc substitute on their children’s skin might also expose them via inhalation.
Infants are sometimes reared on soy infant formula. The Royal Society wrote, “Infant formulas, in particular, are “consumed as a single food over extended periods of time by those who are especially vulnerable” and “should be investigated most rigorously.” Among the potential side effects are changes in soy’s natural estrogen mimickers, which may influence sexual development.
Children consume a disproportionately large amount of milk. In the United States and elsewhere, dairy products may come from cows treated with the genetically engineered bovine growth hormone (rbGH). The milk contains increased amounts of hormones and antibiotics and an altered nutritional content.
According to a discussion paper on the public health implications of rbGH, published in the Journal of the Royal Society of Medicine, an “infant would be exposed to a dose of IGF-1, which was 12.5 times the recommended minimum. IGF-1 is an Insulin-like growth factor 1. It is a polypeptide protein hormone similar in molecular structure to insulin. It plays an important role in childhood growth and continues to have anabolic effects in adults.
Samuel Epstein, chairman of the Cancer Prevention Coalition and an expert on the health effects of rbGH, says that risks of high exposure to IGF-1 are “of particular concern to infants and children in view of their high susceptibility to cancer-causing products and chemicals.”
“Industry funded studies often use mature animals instead of the more sensitive young ones, in order to mask results.”
He also suggests that regular exposure might promote “premature growth stimulation in infants, gynecomastia [development of abnormally large breasts on males] in young children.”
Safety Assessments Ignore Children
An FAO (Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations) and WHO (World Health Organization) task force on GM food said that “Attention should be paid to the particular physiological characteristics and metabolic requirements of specific population subgroups, such as infants and children.” In practice, GM safety assessments ignore them. In fact, industry funded studies often use mature animals instead of the more sensitive young ones, in order to mask results.
Biologist David Schubert warns, “Since children are the most likely to be adversely effected by toxins and other dietary problems, if the GM food is given to them without proper testing, they will be the experimental animals. If there are problems, we will probably never know because the cause will not be traceable and many diseases take a very long time to develop.”
Regulating GMOs
How are GM foods regulated?
In 1992, the Food and Drug Administration claimed that they had no information showing that GM foods were substantially different from conventionally grown foods and therefore were safe to eat. But internal memos made public by a lawsuit reveal that their position was staged by political appointees under orders from the White House to promote GMOs.
FDA scientists, on the other hand, warned that GMOs can create unpredictable, hard-to-detect side effects, including allergies, toxins, new diseases, and nutritional problems. They urged long term safety studies, but were ignored.
President-elect Barak Obama in support of Mandatory Labeling of GMO!270 million Americans stand with President-elect Barak Obama who has pledged |
The FDA does not require any safety evaluations for GMOs. Instead, biotech companies, who have been found guilty of hiding toxic effects of their chemical products, are now in charge of determining whether their GM foods are safe. (The FDA official in charge of creating this policy was Michael Taylor, Monsanto’s former attorney and later their vice president (Monsanto is the second largest GMO producer in the world).
Although these biotech companies participate in a voluntary consultation process with the FDA, it is a meaningless exercise. The summaries of the superficial research they submit cannot identify most of the health risks of GMOs.
The EPA regulates a portion of the plants that produce their own pesticides, but their superficial requirements do not protect the public. The USDA looks after agronomic qualities and field trials.
Researched Dangers of GMO
Were they tested for safety?
In my recent book Genetic Roulette: The Documented Health Risks of Genetically Engineered Foods, we identify 65 risks of GM foods. The current safety assessments are not competent to even identify most of the potential problems, and the industry-funded studies are meticulously designed to avoid finding them.
Which foods our babies and toddler eat are mostly genetically modified? (Do you have a full list of foods?)
Soy and corn, and their derivatives, as well as milk from cows treated with a genetically engineered bovine growth hormone.
Safe Alternative Measures To Take To Keep GMO Out
Can you give parents shopping and eating-out tips to avoid GMO foods?
TIP #1: BUY ORGANIC
TIP #2: LOOK FOR “NON-GMO” LABEL
TIP #3: AVOID AT-RISK INGREDIENTS
The four major GM crops are:
- soy,
- corn,
- cottonseed, and
- canola.
Three minor crops are:
- Hawaiian papaya, and
- a small amount of zucchini and
- yellow crook neck squash.
IF YOU WOULD LIKE MORE DETAILED INFORMATION ON THESE 3 TIPS, VISIT OUR FORUM FOR MORE. TOPIC OF DISCUSSION: Safe Alternative Measures To Take To Keep GMO Out!
TIP #4: USE SHOPPING GUIDES
The “Non-GMO Shopping Guide” is a 16-page MUST HAVE for every trip to the supermarket! No more confusion about which brands to buy or what ingredients you need to cross off your list. This guide is a joint project brought to you by the Institute for Responsible Technology and the Center for Food Safety. Tell your friends! You may find yourself amazed that many of the brands you have in your pantry RIGHT NOW, contain GMO!
Avoiding Genetically Modified Organisms in Restaurants
Jeffrey Smith shares some great tips on avoiding GMOs when eating out at restaurants. For these additional tips, which give you the exact questions to ask your waiter to get the info. pleae visit our bonus post on our community forum, titled “Avoiding Genetically Modified Organisms in Restaurants.“
WHAT CAN CONTAIN GENETICALLY MODIFIED ORGANISMS (GMOs)(Excerpt from the ‘NON-GMO Shopping Guide)
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What Action Can Parents Take?
The Institute for Responsible Technology is organizing a major campaign to push GMOs out of the food supply nationally. The Natural Food Industry, food manufacturers, distributors, health care professionals, religious groups, and schools are all coming together for the first time in history to eliminate GMOs.
We believe that an industry-wide rejection of GMOs can be achieved by a “tipping point” when a sufficient number of shoppers in the US avoiding GM ingredients force the major food companies to stop using them. Europe reached the tipping point in April 1999 and within a single week, virtually all major manufacturers publicly committed to stop using GM ingredients in their European brands.
The widespread consumer rejection of genetically engineered bovine growth hormone (rbGH or rbST) came about by educating customers about the health dangers associated with rbGH and making rbGH-free brands readily available. Within the last two years, Wal-Mart, Starbucks, Kroger, and about 40 of the 100 top dairies removed rbGH products as consumer concerns reached a tipping point on this issue. It is only a matter of time before rbGH disappears altogether.
When consumers across the board make more informed choices, the food industry responds. The next big consumer tidal wave will be the complete rejection of remaining GMO in food products in the US. Since GMOs offer no consumer benefits, even a small percentage of US consumers conscientiously rejecting GM brands can inspire major food companies to replace them.
We believe that as little as 5% of shoppers-15 million Americans-would be more than enough. As millions begin to make brand choices based on GMO content, it is just a matter of time before the entire food industry responds.
Parents can play a pivotal role in driving the tipping point.
- Step 1: Familiarize yourself with the health risks of GMOs, so you will stay motivated to avoid them. Visit ResponsibleTechnology.org and watch videos, listen to audios, get a free E newsletter, and read.
- Step 2: Use the Non-GMO Shopping Guide to change your brands to healthier non-GMO foods.
- Step 3: Share information with other parents. Use our Hidden Dangers in Kids’ Meals DVD, and the new DVD The World According to Monsanto. Have home showings for your friends and encourage parent groups to sponsor showings. We offer showing guides with handouts on our site.
- Step 4: Contact us about starting a GM-Free School Campaign. We have a 50 page manual and all you will need.
- Step 5: For healthcare practitioners, religious leaders, food store and restaurant owners, and institutional food buyers, contact us for a customized approach for your area.
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International bestselling author Jeffrey M. Smith is a leading spokesperson on the health dangers of Genetically Modified Organisms (GMOs). His globally respected research and magnetic communication style captured public attention in 2003 with his first book on the serious yet unknown side effects of genetically engineered foods, Seeds of Deception : Exposing Industry and Government Lies about the Safety of the Genetically Engineered Foods You’re Eating. His second book, Genetic Roulette, shows how the world’s most powerful Ag biotech companies bluff and mislead critics, Congress and the FDA about food safety research for the products Americans buy everyday. Go to www.geneticroulette.com to read an excerpt. |
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November 3rd, 2008 at 1:36 pm
Your articles are always so thorough. I appreciate that. Now that I have more information I am so happy to know how to stay away from GMOs more often. But, still curious….
All pro-GMO arguments I have read about on-line say this
“no effects on human health have been shown as a result of the consumption of such foods by the general population in the countries where they have been approved.”
Are there any known side effect of GMO?
Thanks!
November 3rd, 2008 at 2:36 pm
I know all too well the dangers of GMO. After developing a severe allergy to soy and nearly dying, I learned how bad soy infant formula can be as well.
Something needs to be done to stop GMO products everywhere.
http://www.hiddensoy.com
November 4th, 2008 at 9:00 am
Thank you Safbaby for this great article!
Just found this interesting news today:
“The European Union (EU) is again challenging France’s decision to ban a genetically modified (GM) maize developed by the U.S.-based biotech giant Monsanto. The European Food Safety Authority (EFSA) is angry that France has refused to allow the cultivation of MON 810, the only GM crop being grown in the European Union.”
from http://www.gmoafrica.org/2008/11/eu-challenges-france-on-gm-maize.html
November 4th, 2008 at 7:46 pm
Just a little more info regarding Maria’s question.
Thanks for asking!
The answer here is also from Jeffrey Smith, from his book Genetic Roulette:
GM soy and allergic reactions
• Soy allergies skyrocketed by 50% in the UK, soon after GM soy was introduced.
• A human subject showed a skin prick allergic-type reaction to GM soy, but not to natural soy.
• The level of one known soy allergen is as much as 7-times higher in cooked GM soy compared to non-GM soy.
• GM soy also contains an unexpected allergen-type protein not found in natural soy.
GM corn and cotton linked to allergies
The biotech industry claims that Bt-toxin (a type of genetically modified organism) is harmless to humans and mammals because the natural bacteria version has been used as a spray by farmers for years.
In reality, hundreds of people exposed to Bt spray had allergic-type symptoms, and mice fed Bt had powerful immune responses and damaged intestines. Moreover, Bt in GM crops is designed to be more toxic than the natural spray and is thousands of times more concentrated.
Hundreds of laborers in India report allergic reactions from handling Bt cotton. Their symptoms are identical to those exposed to Bt spray.
GMOs fail allergy tests
No tests can guarantee that a GMO will not cause allergies. Although the World Health Organization recommends a protein screening protocol, the GM soy, corn, and papaya in our food supply fail those tests— because they have properties of known allergens.
GMOs cause immune reactions to non-GM foods
* If proteins “digest” slowly, there is more time for allergic reactions. Because GM soy reduces digestive enzymes in mice, it may slow protein digestion and promote allergies to many foods.
* Mice not only reacted to Bt -toxin, they had immune responses to formerly harmless compounds.
* Similarly, a mouse test indicated that people eating GM peas could develop allergies both to the peas and to a range of other foods. The peas had already passed all the allergy tests normally used to get GMOs on the market. It took this advanced mouse test, which was never used on the GMOs we eat, to discover that the peas could be deadly.
“The stomach lining of rats fed GM potatoes showed excessive cell growth, a condition that may be a precursor to cancer. Rats also had damaged organs and immune systems.”
GMOs and liver problems
* Rats fed GM potatoes had smaller, partially atrophied livers.
* The livers of rats fed GM canola were 12-16% heavier.
* GM soy altered mouse liver cells in ways that suggest a toxic insult. The changes reversed after their diet switched to non-GM soy.
GM soy, reproductive problems, and infant mortality
* More than half the offspring of mother rats fed GM soy died within three weeks.
* Male rats and mice fed GM soy showed changes in their testicles; the mice had altered young sperm cells.
* The DNA of mouse embryos whose parents ate GM soy functioned differently than those whose parents ate non-GM soy.
Many offspring of female rats fed GM soy were considerably smaller, and more than half died within three weeks (compared to 10% of the non-GM soy controls).
“Animal studies show that DNA in food can travel into organs throughout the body, even into the fetus.”
Bt crops linked to sterility, disease, and death
* When sheep grazed on Bt cotton plants after harvest, within a week 1 in 4 died. Shepherds estimate 10,000 sheep deaths in one region of India.
* Farmers in Europe and Asia say that cows, water buffaloes, chickens, and horses died from eating Bt corn varieties.
* About two dozen US farmers report that Bt corn varieties caused widespread sterility in pigs or cows.
* Filipinos in at least five villages fell sick when a nearby Bt corn variety was pollinating.
The stomach lining of rats fed GM potatoes showed excessive cell growth, a condition that may be a precursor to cancer. Rats also had damaged organs and immune systems.
Functioning GM genes remain inside you
Unlike safety evaluations for drugs, there are no human clinical trials of GM foods. The only published human feeding experiment verified that genetic material inserted into GM soy transfers into the DNA of intestinal bacteria and continues to function. This means that long after we stop eating GM foods, we may still have their GM proteins produced continuously inside us.
* If the antibiotic gene inserted into most GM crops were to transfer, it could create super diseases, resistant to antibiotics.
* If the gene that creates Bt -toxin in GM corn were to transfer, it might turn our intestinal flora into living pesticide factories.
* Animal studies show that DNA in food can travel into organs throughout the body, even into the fetus.
GM food supplement caused deadly epidemic
In the 1980s, a contaminated brand of a food supplement called L-tryptophan killed about 100 Americans and caused sickness and disability in another 5,000-10,000 people. The source of contaminants was almost certainly the genetic engineering process used in its production. The disease took years to find and was almost overlooked. It was only identified because the symptoms were unique, acute, and fast-acting. If all three characteristics were not in place, the deadly GM supplement might never have been identified or removed.
“Europe reached the tipping point in April 1999 and within a single week, virtually all major manufacturers publicly committed to stop using GM ingredients in their European brands.”
If GM foods on the market are causing common diseases or if their effects appear only after long-term exposure, we may not be able to identify the source of the problem for decades, if at all. There is no monitoring of GMO-related problems and no long-term animal studies. Heavily invested biotech corporations are gambling away the health of our nation for profit.
November 5th, 2008 at 11:06 am
Will Barack Obama support legislation to label GM food?
November 6th, 2008 at 4:42 pm
Yes! President-elect Barak Obama has pledged his full support for the mandatory labeling of all genetically modified
organisms (GMOs) in food products.